Culleton: Trump's 'fake news' claims bear witness against himself

I should be grateful to President Donald Trump, his cabinet, his staff, and the Republican majorities in both houses. So long as they remain in office I will never run out of subject matter.

At this point, we don’t know all that Donald Trump is guilty of. But it is likely he is guilty of something big. What is my evidence? There is one sure sign. If Donald Trump says it is “fake news,” then we can be pretty sure it is true.

It is like the old Bill Cosby routine about the shop class. In that story, the shop is warmed by a wood stove. A student sneaks a bullet cartridge into the stove. Sometime later the cartridge explodes to the amusement of the students. The instructor responds by denigrating the unknown culprit. He also denigrates the culprit’s mother at some length. Finally one student blurts out, “I didn’t put that bullet in the stove and you stop disrespecting my mother!"

Donald Trump bears witness against himself in similar fashion. Almost everything he labels as “fake news” turns out to be true.

The Mueller investigation has two main threads: the Russia investigation and the obstruction of justice investigation. Recently based on the identity of the witnesses interviewed, it is the obstruction thread that has been given the priority. That thread has to be completed to protect the other thread.

Donald Trump is already on record as saying that he was glad he fired FBI Director James Comey because that action stopped the Russia investigation. But the Mueller investigation revived that inquiry. Recently it is reported that Trump tried to close the Mueller investigation last June. The White House lawyer refused to implement that action. Last week, Michael Wolff, author of the book “Fire and Fury,” reported that Trump still complains about Mueller almost every day.

Trump is getting desperate again. He and his remaining supporters state that the FBI is corrupt and in cahoots with the Democrats.

You have to choose your enemies more carefully than your friends. Mounting an attack on the FBI is a foolish tactic indeed. Yet many right-wing voices are demonizing this vital institution in a vain attempt to protect the Donald. Even after he has been run out of office the damage they do will remain.

Under Trump’s care, our international position has steadily declined. There are two nations that don't support the Paris Climate Accord: Syria and the United States. Trump withdrew support for the Trans Pacific Partnership, so the other members formed a new agreement. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), is a planned trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Glaringly absent is our nation.

Trump managed to insult our strongest ally, the United Kingdom. He has imposed tariffs on imports of solar panels that will have the effect of raising their prices, pleasing to his oil and coal buddies but discouraging to those who want to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.

Remember the Deep Water Horizon oil well disaster? Trump’s Energy Department has loosened the regulations designed to prevent such a recurrence.

The November midterm elections are likely to favor the Dems nationally. Wise Republican candidates will emphasize the economy and not mention Trump.